1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to fluid couplings and, more particularly, to fluid couplings that are configured to connect to a female threaded coupling.
2. Description of the Related Art
Coupling assemblies for the transmission of gases or fluids that may be secured together by axial movement of a male coupling into a female coupling are known in the art. In a typical application, a male coupling and a female coupling function as an adapter between a flexible conduit, such as a hose, and an apparatus, such as a pump. While several methods are commonly used to connect the male coupling to the flexible conduit, such as a barbed hose adapter, the female coupling is typically connected to a standard female threaded port in the apparatus.
Manufacturers of coupling assemblies have attempted to reduce complexity and cost by integrating the female coupling directly into their customer's apparatus (known as “direct porting”), thereby eliminating the need for the standard female threaded port. However, customers are oftentimes reluctant to integrate a particular coupling manufacturer's female coupling directly into their apparatus because doing so would make it difficult to convert back to a standard female threaded port. Additionally, customers may be reluctant to integrate a particular manufacturer's female coupling directly into the apparatus because doing so would require them to purchase all their replacement hoses from the coupling manufacturer. There are continual efforts to improve upon the current designs of coupling assemblies, particularly to reduce the complexity and cost of coupling assemblies as well as to design couplings that are compatible with standard fittings (e.g., a standard female threaded port).